Scorpius
One of the 88 IAU constellations.
Etymology and History
Origin of Constellation
The scorpion came to Greece with the zodiac from Mesopotamia. In the Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh, parts of which can be traced back to the 3rd millennium, scorpion men guard the entrance and exit of the sun. Scorpions or scorpion people are important in the sun cult.
Brightest Star
The reddish star in the heart of Scorpius had a proper name in Mesopotamia, but this was not passed down. It was called Lisi (LI4.SI9), a deity regarded as the mother goddess's child and understood in early sources as a daughter, later as a son. The Greek name Antares (anti-ares, counterpart or rival of Mars) is only documented in Roman times; it is one of the few star names in the Almagest.
Horowitz ( ) suggested that the Greek name "anti ares" roots in a misunderstanding or pun from the Babylonian term mulAN.TA.GUB, as GUB can also be read RE6.
Transfer and Transformation of the Constellation
As Scorpius are also widespread in the Mediterranean region and the constellation is characterised by relatively clear outlines, hardly any changes have occurred over the millennia - with the exception of the occasional reinterpretation of its northern parts (Libra).
Scorpius in the Zodiac
The southern part of the constellation, i.e. the tail and sting of the scorpion, extend very far southwards from the ecliptic. Essentially, only the scissors and the head lie in the zodiac. Because the Babylonian constellation Libra was reinserted into the zodiac in Roman times, stars from Scorpius were used for it. The problem was that the recumbent Greek Virgo was wider than the upright Babylonian goddess. This meant that there was no more room for Libra next to the Greek Virgo. Since the scissors were split off and renamed "Libra" in modern time, the scorpion today only covers about 5° of the ecliptic, although the zodiac signs are supposed to be 30° long. The sun is, therefore, not in this constellation for a month, but only for about 5 days (24 to 29 November).
Mythology
For Eratosthenes, the scorpion is part of the mythological complex surrounding Orion. In the chapter on the scorpion, he reports the same legend as Aratos: Artemis had the scorpion emerge from a hill to prevent the impetuous Orion from getting too close to her. Artemis and Orion were hunting together on the island of Chios when he was struck by the scorpion's sting and mortally wounded.
In the chapter for Orion himself, however, it is said that Mother Earth sent the scorpion to punish Orion's arrogance and poaching.
In Mesopotamia, this male figure is certainly one of the oldest constellations. It is connected to the oldest myth that we can currently reconstruct: the Gilgamesh epic. In its prehistory, a deluge is reported. Flood stories have been handed down in several cultures. The Babylonian story is very similar in some topoi to the biblical story of Noah. This is no coincidence, as a transfer through the exile of the Jewish elite under the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar is documented and attested in the Bible: the Greek and Jewish Flood stories can therefore certainly be traced back to the Sumerian story.
Our hero only appears much later: Gilgamesh, King of Uruk. He loses his friend and comrade Enkidu after they have freed Uruk together from the beast called the Heavenly Bull (Taurus). Gilgamesh then goes in search of eternal life, which is not normally granted to humans. He learns that his ancestor Utnapishtim (the Babylonian Noah) was, however, exceptionally granted eternal life by the gods because he had saved humanity from the Flood. Gilgamesh therefore sets off in search of Utnapishtim to ask him about this. Along the way, he comes to Mount Mashu, which he had to cross. The passage through the mountain took 12 double hours and the entrance to the mountain was guarded by a male and a female scorpion-being. They were horrible to look at, but Gilgamesh was brave enough to stop and talk to them. Then they let him pass.
After a few more paths, Gilgamesh finds Utnapishtim and the realisation that eternal life is not achieved through a magic herb or gods, but only through one's own deeds, with which one remains in people's memories - preferably in a positive way.
